According to the applicant, with over 8-12 million women of all ages at risk, domestic violence (DV) is a major problem in the U.S. An estimated 1.5-2 million older persons annually are victims of Dv, most of whom are older women. While studies have been done on the psychological effects and physical systems associated with DV, little research has been done on its overall health effects. Also, the long- term effects of abuse on the health of older women is largely unknown. The goal of the proposed project is to determine the effect of DV on the health status of postmenopausal women 50-79 years of age. To achieve this aim, the applicant plans to determine the baseline prevalence of DV in t his cohort and examine the association of DV on the overall health status in women. He will also examine the effect of DV on the mortality from cardiovascular disease. To examine the effects of DV on health status, the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) scores will be compared for those exposed to DV with those who were not.